A back injury has ended Leicester full-back Mathew Tait's latest comeback for club and country.

Tait trudged out of Leicester's 22-19 Heineken Cup defeat to Ulster at Welford Road on Saturday after 38 minutes and has now been ruled out of the England Saxons' match against Ireland Wolfhounds at Kingsholm on Saturday. He had played just five matches since returning from ankle surgery in the summer.

Tait has won 38 England caps since his 2004 debut as a teenager against Wales. However, nearly a decade on from that first start, he is still battling to bring his presence to bear on the world stage. He has also made just 32 Leicester appearances since his 2011 switch from Newcastle.

Harlequins' Matt Hopper replaces Bath's Jonathan Joseph, while the Northampton Saints prop Tom Mercey takes over from Harlequin Will Collier as England count the cost of round six of Heineken Cup pool action. The Leicester wing Miles Benjamin and flanker Jamie Gibson will be assessed at the end of the week.

Meanwhile, the full England team's management are not giving up hope that Alex Corbisiero, Ben Foden and Marland Yarde can play some part in the 2014 Six Nations.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster included the injured trio in the training squad called to Pennyhill Park on Monday as preparations began for the tournament opener against France on 1 February. Corbisiero continues to battle knee trouble, while Foden, his Northampton club-mate, has knee ligament problems.

Yarde ruptured a tendon in his hip in November and was initially ruled out of Six Nations contention. But the London Irish player's prognosis has continued to improve, and England are increasingly optimistic about his fitness.